Patsy Cline

Patsy Cline--rocker? Well, sort of. At the outset of her recording career in the late '50s, Cline tried a variety of approaches, including rockabilly and uptempo hillbilly. This disc assembles 13 of her rockabilly-flavored recordings from 1956-59. It's not bad, but rockabilly was not Cline's forte--she was much more at ease with ballads and midtempo numbers with a heavier pop/country feel. In comparison with '50s female rockabilly singers like Brenda Lee (who shared Cline's producer), Patsy comes off as rather stiff and inhibited. "Stop, Look and Listen" (1956) is the clear highlight here, with a natural snare-paced groove absent from the other tracks. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide